Harpoon weeder



Sept. 30, 1930. J D D 1,777,029

HARPOON WEEDER Filod July 23, 1928 INVENTOR JOHN B. BRADFORD a! W/14w ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 30, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN B. BRADFORD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,- ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES J. HEYLEB, 0F LQS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA maroon wnnnnn 7 Application filed July 23, 1928. Serial No. 294,891.

My invention is a harpoon weeder so called because it is somewhat harpoon shaped.

An object of my invention is the construction of a weeder having a blade somewhat harpoon shaped with a central piercing point and two cutting edges diverging therefrom. The back portion of the blade is formed with prongs and curved cutting blades extending inwardly therefrom. The blades diverging from the point are used to out in a thrusting action, and the blades extending inwardly from the prongs are used to cut in a pulling action.

Another object of my invention is in the construction of a weeder having blades to cut by a thrusting, and other blades by a pulling action on the handle is to have the thrusting blades constructed on a horizontal plane and to have the blades which'cut on the pulling action upwardly and inwardly inclined. To effect this purpose I form the structure carrying the blades with a hollow underneath so that the blades extending'inwardly from the prongs also extend upwardly.

Another object of my invention is the construction of a weeder with aferrule secured to the handle and a supporting plate extending downwardly from the ferrule, the open and lower end of the ferrule being positioned above the supporting plate. The blade carrying plate is connected to the lower edge of the supporting plate preferably by a riveted connection, and this blade supporting plate is arched in a transverse direction( The front marginal edges are in a horizontal plane, forming the diverging blades to cut in a thrusting action. The rear portion of the arch on opposite sides of the supporting plate forms the blades to cut by the pulling action, extending from the prongs to the supporting late. p My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a lan of the weeder taken in the direction of t e arrow 1 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 2,

4 is a transverse section on the line 44 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 5 is a'plan view of an alternative form of cutting blade.

- In my construction the handle 11 has a metal ferrule 12 connected thereto at the lower end. This ferrule is illustrated as having a longitudinal slot 13 and with a supporting plate 14 extending downwardly from the lower portion of the ferrule. Thus the lower open end 15 of the ferrule is positioned above the back 16 of the supporting plate. This supporting plate has two forward marginal edges 17 converging to a point 18, and has lateral marginal edges 19 extending from the corners 20 at the side to the bottom of the ferrule as indicated at 21. This plate is arched to a certain extent in a transverse direction, the hollow portion being underneath so that the center of the top 16 forms a ridge.

The blade plate designated generally by the numeral 22 is constructed with an upper body section 23 which has a central ridge portion 24, and is arched or hollowed underneath as indicated at 25. This body structure has a center portion 26 fitting in the hollow arch portion of the supporting plate; and this upper portion is secured to the supporting plate by rivets 27. The upper rear edge 28 of this body section is dull and non-cutting arlid is transverse to the axis of the supporting p ate.

The blade plate extends downwardly from the supporting plate continuing the arched structure as indicated by the cross section in Fig. 4 and the rear elevation of Fig. 3; and at the bottom there are forward blade structures 29 converging to the forward point 30. These blade structures have a sharp cutting edge and are in a horizontal plane, such edges being designed to out the weeds by a thrusting action on the handle.

The blade structures 29 terminate rearwardly in lateral or side prongs 31. and extending inwardly from these prongs there are the rear cutting edges or blades 32. Theseblades have a portion 33 adjacent the prongs in the same horizontal plane as the forward cutting blade, and then have a portion 34 extending upwardly and inwardly conforming to the rear edge of the arche body structure of the blade plate 22. These upwardly extending cutting edges terminate at the corners of the supporting plate and are adapted to cut by a pulling action on the handle.

With the construction illustrated the blade plate may be made of high-grade steel and secured to the supporting plate which may be of relatively inexpensive material. By the construction of the ferrule connection to the top of the su porting plate the ferrule does not become fi led up with dirt and is maintained at a considerable elevation above the soil being worked. i

In the action of my weeder, on account of the thrustin action blades 29 being in a horizontal p ane the weeder may be thrust horizontally along the surface of the soil or slightly underneath and thus cut the weeds by a thrusting action. When it is desired to cut weeds or to thin out plants these may either be cut by the thrust cutting blades or by the pull cutting blades 32. These blades as above mentioned have the characteristic for cutting. Adjacent the prongs such blades are in a horizontal plane and from this plane they extend upwardly and inwardly, preferably on a curved line, as illustrated in the drawings. This gives a shearing action and an inclined cut onthe fibers of the weeds or plants being severed, thereby allowing much tougher and harder material -to be out than when a straight horizontal cut is made through the undesired vegetable growth. This construction of weeder allows In 'Fig. 5 I snow a different form of cutting blade from that illustrated in the prior fig- -ures, this blade being designated generally by the numeral 35. This is provided with a point 36 and diverging cutting edges 37. these cutting edges terminating in hook-shaped blades, 38 having marginal corners 39. From these corners there are diverging cutting edges 40 which extend outwardly in the same general direction as the cutting edges 37.

The latter edges 40 terminate in prongs 41 and have rear cutting blades similar to the blades 32 of the construction of Figs. 1 and 2. a This cutting blade of Fig. 5 is'shaped somewhat similar to that of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, being arched in a transverse direction to be secured to a supporting plate similar to the plate 14.

The portion of the blade having the cutting edges 37, the books 38 and the cutting edges 40 is preferably in a horizontal plane; and the cutting edges 32 have a pulling operation incline upwardly. With this type of blade the hooks'function to engage around the stems of weeds or other undesired plants and sever these by a thrusting action on the blade. Various changes may be made in the principles of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof, as set forth in the description, drawings and claims.

I claim:

1. A weeder having a blade plate with front blades in a horizontal plane diverging rearwardly from a forward point, said blades cutting by a thrusting action, said blades terminating in lateral prongs, and rear blades to cut by a pulling action extending from said prongs upwardly and inwardly from the sides to the center.

2. A weeder as claimed in claim 1, the rear blades having a lower horizontal portion and an n wardly and inwardly extending portion ormed on a transverse curve.

, 3. A weeder having a blade plate with the main body portion formed in an arched structure considered transverselyand having a central ridge, front blades extending from a point in line with the ridge rearwardly and diverging outwardly, said blades being in a horizontal plane and joining the front blades to cut by a thrusting action and rear blades extending inwardly on the rear edge of the body portion of the blade plate.

4. A weeder as claimed in claim 3, the rear blades each having a horizontal portion extending inwardly from prongs forming the termination of the front blades and having a portion extending upwardly and inwardly on the arched edge of the main body of the plate, said rear blades havin a concave curve when viewed in plan and %eing adapted to cut by a pulling action.

-5. A weeder having a ferrule adapted for attachment to a handle with a sup orting plate connected to the ferrule, a bla e plate attached to the supporting plate, the blade plate having diverging front cuttin edges extending from the front point latera ly, and inwardly extending rear blades ada ted to cut by a pulling action, said rear bla es terminating at the supporting plate.

6. A weeder having a ferrule with a supporting plate extending downwardly from the lower portion thereof, said plate being arched considered transversely, a blade carrying plate having an upper arched body portion to fit underneath the arch of the supporting plate and to be secured thereto, and front and rear cutting blades on the blade plate.

7. A weeder as claimed in claim 6, the front cuttin blades extending from a, point and diverging outwardly, and being in a horizontal plane, and the rear cutting blades extending from the lateral prongs formed by the front blades inwardly and upwardly on the rear edge of the blade plate.

8. A weeder having a blade plate with a point, a pair of diverging cutting edges extending rearwardlv therefrom, said edges terminating in hook-shaped cutting edges, the diverging and hook edges cutting by a Ill thrusting action, the blade having rear cutting edges extending upwardly from the sides towards the center on an inclination,

and means to secure the blade to a holder adjacent the rear cutting edges.

9. A weeder having a blade plate adapted to be mounted on a holder adjacent its rear portion, a forwardly extending point with laterally diverging cutting edges terminating in hook-shaped cutting edges having lateral points, a second pair of diver ing cutting edges extending rearwardly mm the said points of the hook, the first pair of cutting edges, the hook, and the second pair of cutting edges being designed-tocutby athrusting action.

10. A weeder having a blade plate as claimed in claim 9, the rear portion of -the blade plate having cutting edges extending inwardly from the rearward portion of the second lateral cutting edges, the rear cutting edges being rearwardly and upwardly inclined and designed to cut by a pulling action.

11. A weeder having cutting blades with thrust cutting blades diverging from a forward point rearwardly and pull cutting blades extending inwardly and upwardly from the rear ends of the thrust cutting blades, the upward inclination being from the sides towards the center.

12. A weeder having cutting blades with thrust cutting blades diverging rearwardly from a forward point to cut by a thrusting 5 action and rear lades to cut by a pulling action extending inwardly from the rearward ends of the thrust cutting blades, the rear blades extending upwardly from the sides towards the center.

40 In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

1 J. .B. BRADFORD. 

